


First Blush

by FallacyFallacy



Category: Free!
Genre: First Time, Getting Together, Hand Jobs, Kink Meme, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 02:43:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallacyFallacy/pseuds/FallacyFallacy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stuck in the lull that is Haruka and Makoto's friendship, first thing in the morning when the bed is warm and rain patters against the window it's easy to forget that change is possible.</p>
<p>Now if only Haruka could figure out what he wants it to change into.</p>
<p>Written for <a href="http://iwatobiswimclub.dreamwidth.org/1476.html?thread=1401540#cmt1401540">this prompt</a> for the Free! kink meme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Blush

When Haruka wakes, it isn't suddenly, with a blink and an instant clarity of mind. Instead, as usual, as with most things, it happens slowly and bit by bit. He's too comfortable then to be concerned – the bed is warm and the breeze brushing against his shoulders cool, and although the sound of the rain tapping against his window makes a small part of him deep down want to slip out of bed and slink outside, for now the sound is enough, repetitive and calming. Even the soft murmur of the television, likely what woke him, is low and smooth and sleepy.

“You just look so peaceful like this...” A breath, felt against his cheeks. “Well...I guess most people would say you look like that all the time.”

The mattress shifts, slightly. It's old and a little too springy, but Haruka doesn't really mind the way it curves down in the middle. It feels cosy, like it's holding him.

“Your eyes really sparkle sometimes, though. That's how I can tell. It looks...”

Pitter patter. The bed smells a little different. Human.

“...pretty.”

The realisation, too, comes in a long moment, ripples spreading as he graduates from processing the immediate words to the larger implications. Ah, he thinks. Makoto is speaking to me. He's still tired, though, so he remains where he is. Makoto's voice is quiet, and he'll probably be able to fall asleep again soon. He drifts back into his head, prepared to feel the void overtake him in little time.

A little snort; more breaths. Haruka almost lets himself show irritation but he restrains himself.

“Ah...damn, I shouldn't get like this. Must be the atmosphere or something...”

Makoto becomes silent. Haruka relaxes ever so slightly in relief. He's vaguely aware of what Makoto's saying, but at the moment it seems of little consequence. He's tired and he wants to sleep and lying here feels really nice. The blanket over him is thin but the temperature outside is warm enough now that no more is necessary; in fact, the heat emanating from Makoto is making him feel a little flushed. Did he feel this hot last night?

When Makoto speaks, Haruka doesn't immediately comprehend the words. Instead, he's taken by how they are said – husky and sleepy, murmured in between half-expressed yawns, but full, in a way Haruka doesn't understand. Something in Haruka's stomach reacts at the sound, confused and faintly alarmed.

And then the sound reforms in his mind and his breath catches.

“I really like you, you know.”

He breathes steadily, concentrating on that alone. But his heart pounds, his mind blank.

“...yeah, I know it's a little weird. Sorry, Haru-chan.”

_Drop the chan_ , he thinks automatically.

“I guess it's fine, though.” Haruka is barely able to think through what Makoto says when already he's continuing, new information pouring into him more quickly than he can catch it. “I don't really mind. The fact that we're this close...it means enough to me. I know how important it is. I really treasure it.”

Makoto's voice hits a high note; he pauses, as if embarrassed.

“W-well...I can't say I wouldn't like it... if we could just...kiss.”

Haruka's lips are dry. He doesn't lick them.

A small thump. The next words are muffled. “Damn...this is bad. I'm really this deep into it, huh... Damn...”

And then, without warning, the mattress jumps as Makoto pushes himself up and off the bed. Haruka sways with the movement, stubbornly giving nothing away as he hears Makoto's bare feet pad over his bedroom floor. At the door he pauses, briefly, and Haruka holds himself with as much stillness as he can bear, but then the footsteps begin again and the door shuts quietly.

Makoto gone, Haruka falls onto his front, pressing his face into the pillow.

Makoto likes him, he thinks. Then, he thinks it again. Makoto likes him.

He wriggles, a little. He can still hear the rain outside, cool and familiar. But inside he feels hot and troubled, confused and worried and curious.

He's not really sure what he feels. He's never been the best with words – images and sensations have always been more his style, and he has rarely felt the need to categorise his thoughts and put them into pretty little boxes like other people seem to so love doing. So when he sorts through the jumbled mess that is his brain, only one phrase appears out of the mist, startling him into total coherency:

_Well, shit._

*

Rainy days are Haruka's favourite. There isn't any deep, meaningful reason behind it – he just likes the water and likes the idea of being surrounded by it at all times, even on the ground. It's just a little added bonus to any day, like the universe is trying to cheer him up.

It's helping, but only a little.

It's a little cool out in the backyard in just his bathing suit, but he's good with cold. It's honest and refreshing and usually helps to clear his mind.

He kind of hoped that if he sat out here he might be able to better understand the reactions going through him at the moment. He feels so much more comfortable and natural in the water, so it stands to reason that if he sits in the rain his true feelings will come out and he'll know what he wants, right? The water has helped him in the past, before – if it could just give him some kind of sign, or give him the focus to think for a while, that would be perfect.

“Eh, here's where you are? Heh, I should have known.”

Haruka feels irritation curl in his stomach.

He glances back. Makoto is leaning against the wall, looking out at the rain.

“It's really coming down.”

“You should go back inside,” Haruka says.

For a moment, Makoto looks slightly hurt.

Haruka clarifies. “You're going to get your clothes wet.”

Makoto smiles, head cocked to one side a little. “It's fine, I'm under the veranda.”

After a moment, Haruka looks forwards again.

He's never really cared all that much about social situations or relationships or whatever. It all just seemed a little boring to me. And after everything with Rin...

Haruka shakes the thought away. Rin isn't relevant here. There was always a big line in his mind separating his friends – Nagisa was fun and uncomplicated if annoying sometimes, Rin was confusing and painful and weird and a whole bunch of other things Haruka couldn't even begin to sort out, and Makoto... Makoto was reliable. No matter how much Haruka worried about Rin or was irritated by Nagisa, Makoto was always there in the background, a soothing presence like a small flowing stream. He didn't ever have to actually think about who they were or what their friendship was like. It just was.

_Ah_ , Haruka thinks. _I'm frustrated._

He can feel Makoto looking at him now and it frustrates him. He has to think about it, now – what their relationship means. Even if they go back to being friends, it won't be the same any more. He'll know that Makoto is sad and he'll feel bad and not want to ask too much from him, and everything will be awkward and bad.

It's unnerving. He has no idea what to do and the water hasn't thrown up any hints there yet. He wants to swim, get his energy out.

“Well, shall we eat, then?”

Haruka glances back. Nods.

*

It takes him several minutes to realise that Makoto keeps throwing glances at him over their mackerel. When Haruka looks, Makoto smiles a little awkwardly.

“What are you thinking about?”

Haruka pauses for a moment, then puts another piece of fish in his mouth and chews slowly.

“Why?” he finally asks, after swallowing.

Makoto shrugs. “No reason. So, ah, did I tell you about what Nagisa said happened in his history class the other day?”

“Yes.”

“Oh!” Makoto chews his fish, too, thoughtfully.

It's just the two of them. They meet up more often at Makoto's house, but last night Ran and Ren were having a joint sleepover with some of their friends and his parents said it was easier for Makoto to stay somewhere else. Personally, Haruka thinks it would be easier if Makoto stayed to take care of them and that Makoto would even enjoy that, but here they are.

Haruka can still hear the rain outside.

“It's just,” Makoto says abruptly, putting his knife and fork down on the plate, “you seem...kind of quiet today.”

His voice is strange.

_Is he worried that I heard him this morning...?_

Haruka shrugs.

Makoto looks out the window. The rainfall has only gotten harder, pounding at the glass panes and roof.

“Ehhhh, I get it!” Haruka's head snaps up; Makoto is looking at him with sparkling eyes and a fond smile. “It's the rain – it's making you want to swim, isn't it?”

Haruka finishes his mackerel. He pauses. And then he stands up.

“Yeah.”

“Hm?” Makoto follows him into the bedroom, confused. “Ah, are you taking a bath?”

“No.”

“Then...”

He looks at Makoto. “I'm going swimming.”

He begins to unbutton his shirt. Makoto stares for a moment.

“Ehhhh?! But – but it's Saturday! The school is closed, we can't go there – unless there's another pool?”

Haruka shakes his head. Makoto looks incredibly unhappy.

“But Haru, it's out of grounds... Can't you just go in the bath or something? And – what are you doing?!”

Haruka, having thrown his shirt away, reaches for his pants. He pauses, raises a confused eyebrow. “I'm going swimming.”

It takes two seconds for Makoto to grab Haruka's wrists. “You're not walking all the way to school like that!!”

“But it's raining.”

“I have an umbrella! Remember, I came here with one! We can use that!!”

Haruka stares at him. Then, slowly, pulls his pants back on. Makoto sighs tiredly, hand to his head.

“You're really dedicated to doing this, aren't you...”

Haruka pulls his shirt back on. It's crinkled now, but it's not like it matters.

“Where is it?” Makoto frowns. “The umbrella.”

Makoto looks very much like he doesn't want to tell. Haruka shrugs and moves forward.

“Fine, fine... Here...”

Ten minutes later, they're walking down the road, huddled together under one small umbrella they can barely keep hold onto in the strong winds.

“This is a really bad idea...” Makoto says, shivering. Their feet and ankles are soaked, and sprays of rain splatter the two of them now and then as the wind changes. The warmth from this morning has now almost disappeared, the air wet and cool. “It looks like it's going to storm, Haru... Even if we get in, we won't be able to swim if there's lightning...”

“You can go back if you want.”

Makoto shoots him an indecipherable look. It takes him a few moments to respond. “Of course I'm coming with you,” he says finally, with a note of finality.

Haruka looks forward, feeling the frustration settling in his stomach again.

They reach the school without incident. It's a little work to get over the fence, especially with the water making everything slippery, but Makoto is tall enough to manage it and help Haruka over.

As they cross the grounds, Makoto mumbles to himself again “I can't believe we're doing this...” Haruka ignores him.

As they near the pool, Haruka's heart races. The rain helped. He managed to figure out one of his emotions. But it wasn't enough, he realised as soon as Makoto suggested he swim – he needs to be submerged in the water altogether. If he could just do that, he's sure he could forget about everything else and it would all become clear.

He speeds up as they reach the fence surrounding the pool. Makoto protests, holding the umbrella forwards, but he only holds it for the comfort – they're both soaked from crossing over the last fence, anyway.

Haruka reaches his hands for the top and pulls himself over, the movement surprisingly easy now that he knows what to do. Once he's dropped down, he takes one moment to look at the pool, his heart swelling with relief.

And then, from some place shockingly nearby, a deep rumble of thunder comes.

The ball of frustration shrinks into something denser and then explodes outwards, coating his insides. He wants to kick something. He's so close, so close to figuring out what he has to do. He clenches his fists, glaring at the water.

Makoto appears behind him, breathing heavily from jumping the fence.

“Let's go inside, Haru.”

Haruka stalks away, making for the changing rooms by the side of the pool. Tresspassing onto school grounds is one thing, but he's not an idiot – even he knows it's a terrible idea to swim while there could be lightning.

He leans against the brick wall of the doorway, glaring out into space.

Moments later Makoto is beside him, back against the other side. They watch as the water in the air comingles with the water in the pool, the flow so strong at times that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. There's a flash of light, brightening the whole area, and then a deep rumble as though from right in front of them.

Haruka can wait.

The rain is loud against the roof, clattering like gunshots. Makoto sighs and glances at Haruka, but beyond that they stand in silence, side by side before the storm.

After many long minutes Haruka realises that Makoto is scuffing his foot against the ground. He's just starting to wonder whether the other boy is bored when, out of nowhere, he begins to speak.

“You know, Haru,” Makoto says, voice loud to be heard over the background noise, “I had a really weird dream last night.”

Haruka doesn't respond. But his eyes narrow just slightly as he glares ahead.

“Yeah, I mean. I don't remember my dreams very often, but this one was just strange.” He forces a laugh, sounding even more unnatural for the volume he has to give it. “You were in it. Maybe it's because we slept in the same bed that night, or something?”

He laughs again, and all of a sudden Haruka is tired. Makoto is making things awkward and now the rain is keeping him from swimming. It sounds stupid but he feels betrayed, like everything that is supposed to be on his side is just making things harder. He feels alone. It sucks.

Listening to Makoto's voice as he tries to lie to him about what he wants sucks.

“Makoto.”

Makoto starts, surprised by the volume of Haruka's voice. “Ah...hm?”

Haruka looks at Makoto out of the corner of his eye. Slowly, he shakes his head.

“...eh?”

Thunder rumbles somewhere in the distance; Haruka can feel the bass reverberate through his body.

“Don't,” he says.

He looks forward. Selfishly, he doesn't want to look at Makoto's face right now.

It takes several long moments for Makoto to respond.

“...ah,” he says, scuffing his shoe again and sending up a splash of water. “Aha, well...yeah, I guess that was a pretty silly idea...”

Haruka grips his elbows tightly. The wet material against his skin makes him shiver.

“I mean, of course you'd... It was a pretty silly idea in the first place, really...”

Haruka hates this.

Why did Makoto have to bring it up right now? Why couldn't he have just ignored it and assumed Haruka didn't know a thing? It would have been awkward, but it would be better than this...

No. No, he'd still know, and it'd still be bad.

Haruka is awful with people. But Makoto was never people. Makoto was Makoto. But maybe things only ever worked with Makoto because nothing ever changed. Or maybe he only thought it was working – maybe Makoto has been in love with him for years and he never even noticed because he couldn't spend five minutes thinking about his best friend. He feels so stupid.

“...sorry, Haru-chan.”

He doesn't want this.

When Makoto's voice comes again, it's in that same faux casual tone that makes Haruka want to tear his skin off. “But it's fine, really! I mean, when I said that it isn't necessary or anything, I meant it. I don't want to change anything between us, Haru. Just being friends with you is more than enough for me.”

Haruka grips his elbows so hard that his nails dig through his thin shirt and into his skin. Makoto is practically shouting now, and for every moment the rain pounds against the roof above them Haruka feels the words hitting him.

'I don't want anything to change between us, Haru.'

And then, something clicks.

“It's really important to me, the friendship we have. It's the most important thing to me. Anything else is secondary. Even this.”

His brain still feels muddled, but as the words repeat, Haruka finds himself able to sort them, putting them into coherent orders guided by Makoto's words.

He isn't frustrated at the prospect of going back to being friends with Makoto because they'll never be close in the same way they used to be anymore. He's frustrated by the idea because he doesn't want to go back to being just friends with Makoto.

It makes sense now. He feels bad because he missed something that is so important to his friend, and that's why he's annoyed by the idea... and because he hadn't been able to be as close to Makoto as he'd like most of all. The idea had never even occurred to him, and he's frustrated that he's coming to it so late. He's frustrated that they can't just start with that kind of closeness automatically, without him having to understand and articulate it. And he's frustrated because Makoto is once again putting himself down just so he can give Haruka what he thinks he wants.

Haruka doesn't want that. He wants to make Makoto happy. And he wants to make Makoto happy this way.

“...so.” Makoto clears his throat, “I guess...that's it. I just want to be friends, Haru. It really won't bother me at all if we can't go out.”

For a moment, Haruka is overhelmed with responsibility. Even knowing the answer, it's hard to say. Makoto's courage is truly amazing.

“...I didn't say no.”

“...hm?”

Haruka looks at him straight on. Makoto's expression makes his stomach twist; maybe this he mistook for frustration, too.

“...let's do it.” He nods, firmly. But he mumbles, his usual tone, and Makoto can't hear. And so he shouts: “Let's go out.”

Makoto stares, open-mouthed. Haruka returns his gaze, firm and impossibly serious.

“....ehhhhhHHH?!”

Makoto blushes deeply and begins to stammer. “H-H-Haru-chan, what are you-”

“Let's go out,” Haruka repeats, even more loudly. Makoto doesn't even flinch; instead he shakes his head in disbelief and his eyes grow wider. “That's what you want to do, right?”

“But...but...” Makoto bites his lip. For the first time, a smile tugs at his lips. “Haru-chan, you...like me?”

Haruka blinks. Before he can react, he finds himself blushing as well and looks away.

He shrugs. “Yeah,” he says. “I guess. I mean, you're always doing nice things for me, so...” he trails off, unable to make himself finish.

Makoto is quiet. When Haruka glances up again, Makoto is smiling widely, a hand to his mouth as though in a vain attempt to conceal his happiness. On catching his eye, Makoto's green eyes twinkle.

“Haru-chan...!” he murmurs, almost inaudible over the rain.

“Drop the chan,” Haruka says automatically.

Makoto's smile grows even wider, lips twitching in amusement.

“Haru,” he repeats, in apology. Haruka nods.

“Can I...” Makoto tilts his head slightly, biting his lip. “...kiss you?”

Haruka swallows, embarrassed by the heat in his cheeks. But he nods.

Makoto leans in slowly, breath warm. Haruka closes his eyes, hand searching tentatively for Makoto's arm. Their lips touch and Makoto breathes in deeply, as though trying to take Haruka's kiss inside him. Haruka kisses back, unsure how he is supposed to do it, but Makoto moves slowly and gently.

When Makoto pulls back Haruka realises he is shivering.

“Haru...”

He can hear it – when he looks to the side, he can see clearly that the storm is over. Rain still falls, but much more lightly. Haruka lets out a little sigh in relief.

When he looks back, Makoto's eyes really are sparkling.

It triggers a memory in him.

“You think my eyes are beautiful?” Haruka asks.

“Ah-eh?” Makoto starts, blushing even redder than before, and looks away in embarrassment. “Ahh....right, you heard that, too, huh...?” He smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Haruka lets himself feel a little smirk of amusement.

“But...yeah.” Haruka blinks. Makoto turns back, smiles, and shrug. “Yeah, I do think your eyes are beautiful.”

Haruka stares. Makoto shrugs again.

Haruka pouts, cheeks going red again. That was not the response he expected. Makoto chuckles, and Haruka takes his arm again and pulls forwards, pressing their lips together.

But, as they kiss, he lets himself smile. He's sure Makoto can feel the shape of his lips and understand it.

By the little huff of breath Makoto lets out, he does.

It feels nice, kissing Makoto. Their wet clothes are cold, but against his chest Makoto is warm, and whenever Makoto kisses his skin it feels red hot. After a few moments Haruka awkwardly curls his arms around Makoto's back; he can feel his muscles move beneath the thin shirt. Pressed up together like this, Makoto unfailingly keeping up a steady and slow rhythm at their lips, it doesn't take long for Haruka to become out of breath.

Out of nowhere, Makoto breaks away a little. Haruka frowns. Makoto chuckles.

“Ah, just saying – sorry, I've never kissed anyone before, so um, sorry I'm not...very good.”

Haruka stares at him.

“...oh.” Makoto smiles sheepishly a bit again, but then his expression shifts, his pupils dilate. “You're...”

Haruka lets out a little snort, raises one eyebrow. Of course he is. He's still a teenage boy, isn't he?

Though, he has to admit, there's something more than a little odd about seeing Makoto turned on, too. He'd thought they knew each other well enough that there wasn't anything more to know, but in over five years, this is still an expression that surprises him.

Makoto licks his lips. His eyes are narrowed – not unkind, but it still looks very weird on the normally placid Makoto's face. But not in a bad way.

Makoto kisses him again. It's a little rougher this time, and his arms are strong and tight around his back. Haruka almost steps backwards, but pushes back against Makoto, grabbing the back of Makoto's shirt in fists. He smells wet, little drops of water still occasionally dripping down over their skin, and when Makoto bites Haruka's bottom lip, it actually feels good.

Eventually, though, the discomfort becomes too much and Haruka pulls away just long enough to pull off his sodden shirt, rolling his shoulders as the now warmer air brushes over it.

“Ah, you want-” Makoto says, then cuts off. When he speaks again, it's lower. “Right.”

Makoto quickly takes off his shirt as well, throwing it aside. Haruka watches closely. That...wasn't actually what he meant. But if it's going to go that way, he has no complaints.

He strips off his pants as well, leaving just his signature swimsuit underneath. Makoto hurries to take off his trousers as well, though in his case this leaves only a pair of briefs that feel somehow...much more intimate.

When Makoto tosses his pants away and turns back, Haruka is staring.

Makoto pushes Haruka against the inside wall of the changing room. It's hard and scratchy brick but immediately afterwards Makoto is kissing him again and Haruka forgets it completely. Makoto smooths his hands over Haruka's sides and lower back, tilting his head steeply so as to kiss Haruka more deeply. Their mouths make wet sucking sounds that go right to Haruka's cock, and when Makoto finally takes his ass in hand Haruka lets out a small breathy moan.

Hearing that, Makoto stills for just a moment, and then pushes forward, their clothed dicks rubbing together. Haruka gasps again and Makoto lets out a little whine. Makoto bites his lip again and Haruka clutches at Makoto's hips, arms shaking.

“Haru-chan...” Makoto mumbles, voice husky, and then ducks his head down to kiss at Haruka's neck.

“Mmph...”

Haruka struggles to breathe, nails digging into Makoto's skin. As Makoto moves, their dicks rub again and Haruka leans his head back against the wall, shifting his feet to open his legs more. Jammers really are not meant to house erections – if anything, they're supposed to smooth that whole area right over – and the tightness at his crotch it swiftly becoming near painful.

“Makoto...” he says, and it comes out breathless.

Without hesitation, Makoto plunges his hand into Haruka's swimsuit and takes out his cock, the sudden sensation making Haruka scrabble at Makoto's back to hold on. Makoto bites into the soft skin where his neck meets his shoulder and Haruka leans his head forward again, forehead pressed into Makoto's shoulder, already warm face heated even more by Makoto's body heat.

But all that pales in comparison to the feeling of Makoto pumping his dick, hand moving in long smooth motions, grip almost but not quite too tight. The feeling is absolutely incredible, better than anything Haruka has felt before, and it would be so easy to just close his eyes and lose himself in it.

But he wants to make Makoto feel good, too.

Cautiously, he reaches forward to Makoto's crotch. The gasp Makoto makes when he squeezes the bulge through the briefs encourages him, and he pulls them down just enough to fist his cock as well.

It's difficult, at first, to keep up on stroking Makoto even as Makoto works his dick so well – Makoto got a headstart, and Haruka is getting dangerously close – but as he works him, Makoto begins to murmur “Haru, Haru,” against his neck, and that's more than enough incentive for Haruka to try.

With Makoto panting in front of him and Makoto's heat and Makoto's smell and Makoto's goddamn amazing hand on his dick it's only a matter of time before Haruka almost can't bear it anymore.

“Makoto, I...”

“Go ahead,” Makoto breathes, voice catching on the last word as Haruka thumbs the head of his dick.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Haruka comes hard, a high-pitched whimper all he can manage as the come sprays over Makoto's hand and stomach. Makoto continues to stroke him slowly as he comes down, Haruka shaking enough that without the wall behind him he'd barely be able to stand.

Eventually it's done and Haruka bats Makoto's hand away, taking a moment to catch his breath.

He looks up. Makoto's eyes are even narrower, and he's biting his lip.

Haruka kisses him firmly, taking Makoto's dick in hand again immediately. The moan of relief Makoto gives is so big that Haruka bites his lip lightly as well, slightly annoyed that Makoto worked so hard to finish him off when he needed it just as badly.

Within a minute, Makoto is murmuring into Haruka's mouth “Can I...?”

Once Haruka mumbles back “Mm,” in no time at all Makoto is coming as well, arm bracing him against the wall by Haruka's head as he moans, long and low.

When Makoto is totally done, Haruka lets go, wiping his hand awkwardly against his thigh. Taking care not to rub against the rough wall, he sits down onto the floor, back to the wall, and in a moment Makoto joins him, still breathing heavily.

Haruka raises an eyebrow. “You haven't done this before?”

Makoto laughs a little, embarrassed. “No! I just...kinda got into the mood, I guess...” He looks to Haruka, but immediately his eyes widen and his face goes white. “Oh no...”

“What?”

Makoto's eye twitches, staring at Haruka's neck. When Haruka turns as best he can, he can see a little red mark on his shoulder. From how much Makoto was kissing around there earlier, there are undoubtedly more.

“Oh.”

“I'm so sorry, Haru! I didn't even think...” Makoto slumps. “Oh no... everyone will be able to see it... E-even Kou-chan and Sensei...”

Haruka doesn't really care, but he has to admit he doesn't really want to see Makoto look so upset. His shrug fails to comfort him, however.

“Well...it's not like you can just stop swimming, so...”

“Right.”

Makoto smiles sympathetically, but Haruka gives him a serious look.

“It wouldn't be fair to the water.”

“The....really?”

Haruka nods. “I need to thank it. It was because of the water that this happened.”

Makoto raises an eyebrow. “Even though you couldn't swim?”

“Yes. The rain this morning helped me think, and it was because of the rain against the roof that I was able to get my thoughts together. And if it weren't raining we wouldn't be here right now.”

“True,” Makoto says softly, and Haruka knows he means it. It makes him feel warm and happy inside, all of a sudden – he always appreciated that, out of everyone, Makoto would always treat his care for the water seriously. He was right – even after everything, Makoto is still the same reliable friend he's always been.

Haruka shuffles closer, leaning against Makoto's side and smiling a little.

Now that he's thinking about it, he can barely hear the rain anymore. When that thought hits, Haruka abruptly stands up, padding over to the doorway to look out.

The storm is more than over now – the rainfall has slowed to a light drizzle, little droplets bouncing on the surface of the overfilled pool. Immediately, his already bright mood brightens even further, and he only wastes a moment to smile at Makoto before he darts forward, throwing himself into the pool.

“Haru!” Makoto calls once he surfaces. His eye is twitching again. “You're still naked...!”

Haruka shrugs. Makoto sighs.

“This is is seriously unhygienic...”

“Put your briefs back on.”

Makoto looks at him. Haruka looks back, earnest.

Eventually, Makoto sighs. “All right... Just since we're here...”

Haruka lets himself smile again, diving back down into the water and then throwing himself back, closing his eyes to feel the rain against his skin as he floats.

“Damn...it's gotten cold.” Makoto swims out to join him soon enough, making the water ripple and lap at Haruka's skin.

“It's nice...” Haruka murmurs.

He can't see him, but he can tell, somehow, that Makoto is smiling.

“Yeah,” he says, and Haruka couldn't be happier.


End file.
